Claudia "Dolly" Powers: Fed up with feeding backyard stingers

Published 6:52 pm, Thursday, September 20, 2012

Right about now, I am well and truly tired of being a walking blood bank for the clouds of bugs in my yard. I resemble a pin cushion, not my best look. No matter what product I use, the bugs zero in on me quickly and then it is a race for the back door.

A friend told me that consuming bananas makes me a more attractive bug target, so I tried skipping my morning banana (sorry Dr. Rana). After five days of this experiment, I am pretty sure my blood pressure is up again and the bugs are still voracious. So, the bananas are back on the kitchen counter, my blood pressure is fine -- and I can hear my grandmother's voice, clear as a bell: "Little Doll, you stop scratching those bug bites right now."

Our outstanding Director of Health, Caroline Calderone Baisley, has created the "Town of Greenwich Mosquito Management Brochure" just for us and you can access it on: http://www.greenwichct.org/. On the state level, the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station tests mosquitoes from all over the state for West Nile virus, tracking the hot spots. While we are fortunate not to have as serious an outbreak this year as places like Texas, we have had local cases, including hospitalization.

West Nile Virus symptoms include mild-to-severe headaches, fever, rashes, nausea, muscle weakness, and gastrointestinal distress. Definitely not something to fool around with or ignore. The state Mosquito Management Program will continue trapping mosquitoes through October, and while the town's larvicide application program does help to reduce the population of bugs, there are still plenty of those hungry critters hatching out there on a daily basis.

Fortunately, there are things we can do ourselves to also help reduce the mosquito population. They include: eliminate standing water in containers, gutters, and pools; cover trash containers; keep grass short and shrubbery trimmed near the house.

The wretched bugs are most bothersome at dawn and dusk, so long pants and long-sleeved tops are best worn then. Mosquito repellent is recommended, as well as mosquito netting for playpens, carriages, and strollers.

Cooler weather and a stiff breeze also help, but an autumn freeze takes them out for good.

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The Greenwich Police Department's "Dark House List" is an excellent service provided to town residents who are away from home for extended periods of time. Signing up for this service could not be easier. Simply call the department's non-emergency number (203-622-8002), and a helpful officer will walk you through the information needed.

The process goes very quickly if you have already collected all the names, numbers, and dates in front of you before you place the call. Basically, you will need information such as: dates of your absence; names and phone numbers of folks allowed on the property and vehicle descriptions; names, addresses, and phone numbers for all key holders; alarm company information; lighting schedule; and your own contact data.

Finally, the officer will politely request that you notify the department on your return so that they know you are in residence once more. Your regular neighborhood patrols will make periodic checks during your absence -- and you and your neighbors all rest easier. Thank you to the fine men and women of our Greenwich Police Department!

Claudia "Dolly" Powers, a Greenwich resident, is a former special education teacher who represented the town's 151st District for eight terms in the state House of Representatives.